“I will always find you,” the prince responded, patting the top of Kuya’s head. The cat boy closed his eyes and leaned into the touch. Rumbles sounded in his throat—purrs. “Who is your friend?”
“Um,” I said, not sure how to act. Should I bow? Get on my hands and knees? Was I even allowed to look at him? I quickly bowed my head. “My name is Evan, Your Majesty. Wait. Isn’t that the title used for the king? Your Grace, maybe? No, that’s not right either.”
“Prince will suffice,” he said, lowering his hand from Kuya’s head. “You are the traveler I’ve heard about. The man found beside the dark wood.”
“Word really gets around, huh?”
“Very little happens in Bremloc that I don’t know about.” Prince Sawyer smiled as Kuya nudged his shoulder. “I apologize if he troubled you. He likes to play.”
A prince apologizing? Now that’s something I certainly didn’t expect.
“Oh, no need to apologize. It’s totally fine.” I waved my hand dismissively. “He actually helped. I couldn’t find the accounting department, and he led me here.”
“Yes, Kuya helped,” the cat boy murmured. He nestled closer and rested his cheek on the prince’s chest, his purrs intensifying. “Like a good boy.”
“The best boy,” Prince Sawyer told him before returning his gaze to me. His green eyes were just a shade darker than the grass we stood upon. “Which kingdom are you from?”
Crap. Fooling a knight was one thing, but a prince?
“Not sure you’ve heard of it,” I said, nerves swirling in my stomach. “It’s small.”
“I’ve studied many lands. Tell me.”
“Arkansas.”
His brow furrowed. Silence stretched between us, and my heart thumped painfully. And then, Prince Sawyer laughed. “Well, I suppose I was wrong. There is still much I need to learn. I haven’t heard of this kingdom.”
I shakily exhaled and forced a smile. “Like I said, it’s really small.”And in another world entirely.
“Well, don’t let us keep you from your business,” he said. “It was a pleasure finally meeting you.”
“It was nice meeting you too, my prince.” I tipped my head to him. “Bye, Kuya.”
“Kuya will see you again soon,” the cat boy said.
The two of them turned and walked down the path. Kuya looked back at me and grinned as he waved. I returned the gesture.
As I continued toward the accounting department, snorting under my breath at the small wet spot on the document from where he’d carried it in his mouth, I couldn’t help but think I’d just made a friend.
***
Visiting the hot spring was the best way to end a long day of work. The one problem?
Bathing with other people.
Correction: not just ordinary people, but ones who all looked like they belonged in bodybuilding magazines.
The knights disrobed and walked around with their washboard abs and very well-endowed cocks on display. My thin body with hardly any muscle was laughable in comparison. The area consisted of two small springs and one bigger one. A majority of the men went to the bigger one, while Callum and I chose the smaller one beside a section of rocks.
I walked with my hands over my junk.
“Why do you cover yourself?” Callum asked with a silly grin. He reclined in the steaming water, his brown hair slicked back after he’d dunked his head. He was incredibly sexy. For a cinnamon roll.
“We aren’t all built like you, okay?” I eased into the water and sighed as the heat of it touched all my sore muscles. I scrubbed my face and hair before reclining backward. “Now,thisis the life. I feel almost human again.”
“You worked with Briar today, didn’t you?”
“Yep,” I answered. “I like working in the clinic, but I’m not sure I’m cut out for it.”
